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The Modern Milkmaid Dress Is The Summer Style Saviour You've Been Searching For
Universally flattering, versatile and the perfect mix of coquette and cool girl vibes.
Knowing what to wear in the summer can be a tricky business at the best of times. As the temperature goes up, our desire to be clothed at all goes dramatically down – but be it for a day at the office, pub drinks, a wedding, date or event, dress we unfortunately must. Given a bikini sadly isn't considered 'appropriate' attire for most public-facing occasions, I have spent years searching for stylish, easy, breezy, throw-it-on-and-go pieces that will make mornings far less of an ordeal, and won't be drenched in sweat come midday either. My current go-to? The milkmaid dress.
Recognisable by its smocked or structured bodice, scoop neckline, puff sleeves and sweeping A-line skirt, the milkmaid dress has been around for centuries – but only in recent years has it made the leap from farm to fashion. Designers like 16Arlington, Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, Molly Goddard and TOVE introduced their own elevated versions of the silhouette on the SS24 runways that are more cool girl than coquette, while even Prada custom-made a modern milkmaid look for Hunter Schafer at Cannes earlier this year (complete with olden-days matching hair-cloth to boot).
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The secret to its success is that it's universally flattering, and incredibly versatile too. The black linen milkmaid-style dress I purchased from Reformation last summer has seen me through three different dress sizes as well as a huge variety of occasions – whether worn with sandals or trainers to the office, or with heels and a statement earring to go out. I've since bought four more in different styles and colours, and am currently eyeing 16Arlington's modern minimalist Vezile design, that's elegant enough for glitzy evening affairs and loved by everyone from Alexa Chung to Lashana Lynch. Given how much use I'll get out of it, I'm telling myself the cost-per-wear will end up being zero...
I'm not the only one who's obsessed, either. eBay reports that searches for 'milkmaid dress' have increased by more than 50% in the last month alone, while Libby Page, market director at Net-A-Porter, praises the style as 'the perfect iteration of boho' that offers an 'effortless approach to summer dressing.' ELLE UK's Commissioning Editor Naomi Pike, meanwhile, has been a fan for as long as she can remember: 'I've been wearing milkmaid dresses long before they hit the mainstream and got a zeitgeist-y moniker,' she says. 'That's not me claiming to be ahead of the trend, but more that I had long sourced them out for their flattering nature that was sensitive to my proportions, which fashion often forgets or intentionally overlooks. I love them for their ease and wearability, they wash well, pack well and look just as good with a chunky platform as they do a dainty ballet pump. You might just need a good strapless bra!'
She points to brands like Ganni, Shrimps and Hill House Home for affordable styles, while for those who, like both of us, have a sizeable bust, Molly Goddard is a godsend. 'I've picked up almost a dozen styles from her as I know they work for me with the smocking that stretches over my bust perfectly and I love how intentionally full Goddard cuts her skirts,' says Pike. And for those whose budget won't stretch quite that far, LA-based sustainable brand Reformation is the perfect in-between – just look out for the styles with smocked backs to accommodate for bigger boobs.
The best milkmaid dresses to shop now:
I've been wearing this milkmaid dress non-stop already this summer, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Pair with thong sandals and Celine sunglasses for French Riviera vibes.
This sleek 16Arlington number has been haunting me ever since I spotted it on the SS24 runway – and now that it's on sale, I've run out of excuses not to buy it. Unless you get there first.
British brand Shrimps is always a safe bet for feminine dresses with a little bit of edge. I love the material on the hips for added volume, and the butter yellow shade feels very on-brand for a milkmaid aesthetic.
Queen of coquettish corsetry, Vivienne Westwood has been nipping the waist and accentuating the hips since day dot. This pure white cotton design might just be the perfect summer dress, and it will never go out of style.
If you want cool girl vibes rather than anything too Cinderella adjacent, style this dress up with contrasting black accessories like designer sunglasses and mesh flats.
The California-based, female-founded brand Dôen has long been a go-to for fans of the 'cottagecore' aesthetic, so naturally it should be one of your first ports of call in this instance.
Typically, the milkmaid dress has a midi hemline – but it works just as well in mini form, as evidenced by this cute Ref style. The linen construction will help keep you cool even in the height of summer.
This Molly Goddard dress is the epitome of modern milkmaid, in my opinion. It's demure and girly with its frills and full skirt, while also being a little bit sexy thanks to the low back and sides. I'd style with cool trainers and a designer back for the perfect summer daytime look.
Ukrainian brand Sleeper first burst onto the scene thanks to its luxe feathered pyjamas, but its line of floaty dresses is just as dreamy. I love this romantic twist on the milkmaid style, with its fitted shirred bodice and contrasting, off-the-shoulder ruffled sleeves.
If you didn't manage to get your hands on this sell-out M&S dress the first time around, then now is your chance as it's just been restocked in all sizes. A great intro to the milkmaid look if you're into a more minimalist, low-key vibe.
Those looking for a seriously versatile style will love Rouje's Roselene dress, that can easily be dressed down for the day with sandals and a raffia bag, or up come night if you add heels and a red lip. The corseted bodice is super flattering, too.
I can almost imagine a real-life milkmaid wearing some version of this Willa dress in a Renaissance painting – though obviously, given its price point and luxe taffeta material, you'd be best advised to keep it far from any dairy products nowadays. The drop-waist shirred bodice gives this design a modern upgrade, while the hidden pockets make it as practical as it is pretty.
If full-on cottagecore is more your bag, look no further than Damson Madder's Rhea dress with its frilled bib-style front, puffed sleeves, and pretty contrasting red bows.
Everyone should have at least one black Ganni midi-dress in their summer wardrobe, in my opinion. I've already got this classic shirred poplin design in my shopping bag, ready to see me through office days and beach breaks alike.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
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